Where to Use Deicer
Wood, Stone, Concrete: Where Should I Use Calcium Chloride as a Deicer?
Calcium chloride ice melting products from OxyChem provide fast and highly effective ice removal to increase pedestrian safety and protect businesses. When the goal is keeping sidewalks and parking areas safe under all conditions, calcium chloride stands apart from other options, maintaining ice melting power down to -25°F (-32°C). In contrast, other deicers like rock salt, potassium chloride and calcium magnesium acetate begin losing effectiveness between 25°F (-4°C) and 0°F (-18°C).
As effective as calcium chloride is at melting ice, there are some surfaces where calcium chloride should not be used or used with caution.
Porous Concrete
OxyChem calcium chloride products are recommended for deicing asphalt and concrete surfaces that have been designed and constructed for winter weather conditions and deicer usage. OxyChem products will not chemically attack asphalt or concrete. However, melt water from the deicing process may soak into porous concrete and re-freeze, creating pressure within the concrete structure. Concrete that lacks the strength to withstand this pressure may spall or scale. Concrete is resistant to scaling damage if it is air-entrained, mixed, placed and cured according to the recommendations of the American Concrete Institute Committee 201.
OxyChem calcium chloride products are not recommended for deicing concrete that is less than one year old or existing concrete that has exposed aggregate or is precast, prestressed, chipped, cracked, spalled or weathered.
Rebar
When chloride, oxygen and moisture come together on the surface of unprotected steel reinforcement (rebar) embedded in concrete, corrosion can result. This corrosion can cause a loss of the bond between the concrete and the rebar and reduce the rebar cross-sectional area. Both have the potential to result in serious structural problems. Additionally, rust formation on rebar places pressure on the concrete that can result in cracking, spalling and delamination.
Given that some new and rehabilitated construction is designed to protect rebar against corrosion, each user should determine if application of chloride-based deicers is appropriate for their given situation.
Masonry, Stone, Brick & Mortar
Calcium chloride is not known to chemically attack stone under typical application conditions. However, if the stone is porous, melt water created during deicing may soak into pores or cracks, subjecting the stone to possible freeze-thaw damage. This type of damage is possible under certain conditions because melt water trapped in pores or cracks may re-freeze, creating a large amount of pressure beneath the surface of the stone. If the structure of the stone is not strong enough to withstand this pressure, the stone will flake or powder. This type of damage depends on the porosity and strength of the stone, not on the type of deicer used to melt snow and ice.
Because there are many different kinds and grades of stone, OxyChem cannot predict where damage may or may not occur. Therefore, OxyChem calcium chloride deicers are generally not recommended for use on masonry including stone and brick-and-mortar joints.
Wood
Deicers can potentially soak into untreated and some treated wood surfaces, resulting in damp spots that may be difficult to remove. The variety of wood treatments used on exterior wood surfaces makes it difficult to predict the effect of deicers on those surfaces. Therefore, OxyChem does not recommend using deicing products on wood surfaces.
OxyChem Can Help
OxyChem is committed to the successful and responsible use of its calcium chloride products, providing Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and other detailed information to assist you. We also support the efforts of our distributors to provide convenient local assistance to those who purchase and use our products. Please contact us or a qualified distributor if you require additional assistance.
Discover the uses of calcium chloride in enhancing safety and quality in daily life, as well as boosting process and product efficiency, by browsing our website. To Learn more about specific calcium chloride topics, check out our Frequently Asked Questions.